


Predeparture

by ry0kiku



Category: Batman - All Media Types, DC Extended Universe, Suicide Squad (2016)
Genre: Batfleck - Freeform, Dick faking his death, Dick undercover as GQ Edwards, Friendly banter, Gen, Scott Eastwood is Dick Grayson, Suicide Squad post credit scene, daddy bats, movie verse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-11
Updated: 2016-08-11
Packaged: 2018-08-08 03:53:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,871
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7742299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ry0kiku/pseuds/ry0kiku
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In preparations before his quest to form what would be the Justice League, Bruce Wayne arranged several meetings with key persons. Amanda Waller was one. Lieutenant GQ Edwards, otherwise known as Dick Grayson, was another. And probably professionally and personally more important to the Caped Crusader.</p><p>"So in the end, I didn't get to meet Lieutenant Edwards." </p><p>“Can’t forever masquerade as an officer blown up on duty, can I?"</p>
            </blockquote>





	Predeparture

**Author's Note:**

> All the character here belongs to DC comics and Warner Bros. I own nothing but the pleasure in writing this piece and writing down my headcanon of Scott Eastwood's character as an undercover Dick Grayson.

The man in suit was barely out of the building when the small device in his breast pocket gave a buzz. Keeping his face carefully blank, he raised his hand to straighten his collar, giving his breast pocket a quick tap as his hand slid back down.

' _Not here._ '

Not with Amanda Waller so close, both physically and figuratively. Now that he had established that she knew the identity of the Batman, it would be wise to keep as many cards as far away from her eyes as possible.

The Gothamite billionaire made his way to the nearest alley where his car (the Jaguar, not the _other_ one) was parked. He entered, secured his folder in the built-in secret compartment, and waited.

Less than two minutes later, the passenger door swung open and a young man gracefully flopped inside.

"Hi, B."

Bruce Wayne turned, eyes scrutinizing his dark haired, blue-eyed companion. The hair was far shorter and there were additional scars visible just above his collarbone, but other than that the young man looked just as he remembered.

"So in the end, I didn't get to meet Lieutenant Edwards."

Dick Grayson answered him with his characteristic grin.

“Can’t masquerade as an officer blown up on duty, can I? A shame actually, I’m starting to like the disguise. The uniform’s badass, the cap’s cool. The only downside is the beard.”

Ignoring Bruce’s raised eyebrow, Dick put his hands behind his head as he made himself at home in the passenger seat. "I tried to tell Alfred to go without, but he just wouldn't listen. He said I'd look ‘far too young to pull off a convincing seasoned military champ, young master’. I mean, really?"

The corner of Bruce’s lips threatened to curve at the impeccable impression of his old sassy butler, but he restrained it. Schooling his expression, he put on his Batman face.  

"Report."

Dick immediately straightened up, falling into easy professionalism. The spy ready to report to his handler.

“Well. Task Force X is basically a military-grade cover. We’re playing support to the real cannons: Deadshot, Harley Quinn, Killer Croc, Captain Boomerang, El Diablo, Slipknot. Half of whom you personally put in prison.”

“For obvious reasons. How did Waller deal with the devils?”

“A combination of bribery and blackmail. She offered them some time off their sentences, and also injected nanobombs into their necks as the sadistic version of collar and leash. Slipknot experienced it firsthand. Or maybe first _head_ …”

Bruce had half a mind to roll his eyes at the inappropriate pun, but he had an image to maintain. And besides, it wasn’t something that should be encouraged. He decided to ignore it altogether.

"Is it effective?"

"It's every bit as crazy as it sounds, Bruce. But field evidence proved yes, it is effective. The team bonded splendidly and managed to defeat a superpowered enemy with relatively minimal casualties."

Minimal, considering the collateral damage of Midway City. Though Bruce guessed part of it might be due to the citizens finally learning to stay away from bright lights shooting to the sky after what happened in Metropolis and later Gotham harbor.

“But still…” Dick suddenly sounded unsure, hesitating. Very unlike him. Bruce caught him stealing a glance outside, at the building where Amanda Waller was. “What she’s making… it’s not a team, Bruce. It’s a walk on a plank. A tread on a thin ice. She sent them there half expecting them to die on mission. Deadshot called the group ‘suicide squad’, and I think it’s pretty spot on."

Ah. Bruce could see where this was heading. He had briefly considered it before sending Dick undercover inside Amanda Waller’s project. It was well within his calculations that her willingness to cross lines would clash with Dick’s strong sense of morality. Though Bruce had to admit that he didn’t predict that his protégé would be this upset.

“She got results.” And yet he couldn’t help but test.

Dick immediately shot up, eyes widening at him incredulously. “Yes, she did. But at what cost? I’m not even talking about body count here, Bruce.”

Despite practically getting snarled at, Bruce felt a surge of pride. He had raised the boy well.

“I know that you’re trying to build a team of your own,” Dick continued, apparently unaware that his voice was steadily rising with every word. “And having me gathering intel on Amanda Waller’s team is kind of like a comparison study. Yes, her team is solid and yes, they got results. But for the love of everything holy, Bruce… if you dare so much as to adopt ten percent of her methods on your team… you can find some other orphan to play your heir because we are through. And this time, I won’t be looking back.”

Silence followed Dick’s ultimatum, as Bruce was torn between amused and surprised at his outburst. When he did finally gather himself, Dick was still fixing him his determined stare, challenging him to say something. He complied, suppressing a proud smile threatening to surface.

“Don’t worry. I won’t,”

That was the absolute truth. And judging from the way Dick visibly relaxed, Bruce knew that his boy sensed that too.

“So. Are you finished with your report?” He asked after the ice had melted.

“The verbal one, yes. Though I suppose you’ll also be expecting a written one.”

“Correct.”

“Slavedriver.”

Bruce almost smiled again at that remark. Dick sure had an uncanny ability to make him lower his guard and relax. Though it was going to take more than that to draw a real smile from him.   

"One thing is still bugging me actually.” Dick blurted out all of a sudden, eyes up meeting his own. “While might not be as detailed, most of these information can be as easily obtained if you just ask Babs to work her magic. This is just government after all, not something sinister like a spy organization. So why sent me there?"

Ah. He hadn’t expected having to deal with that question _today_. True, he had anticipated it to come at him any time, but certainly not this fast. It appeared that his protégé deserved more credit than he gave him. He had to come clean.

"This mission doubles as your test."

"Excuse me?"

Bruce sighed. At this point, it was no use to withhold information. "I want to make sure you haven't lost your edge. It has been awhile since you worked for me, after all."

Dick narrowed his eyes at him. "Well, yeah. Since you fired Robin."

 _And recruited the next one then promptly got him killed_ , was hung heavy in the air. The uncomfortable silence stretched for almost a full minute before Dick thankfully broke it.

"Okay. So what's the deal, B?"

"The deal is I will be out of town for a while, and I need someone to watch over Gotham."

Another narrowed eyes. "You already have Gordon for that."

"In a cape."

Dick groaned, exasperated. "For god’s sake, enough with your cryptic answers! So you want me to go back to being Robin and watch the empty house while you're away playing superhero HRD?"

"No. I want you to do it as Batman."

That took words right out of the younger man’s mouth. Quite priceless actually, Bruce couldn’t remember the last time the ever-chatty man was rendered speechless.

"We both know that you've outgrown Robin.” He explained carefully, “And like it or not, Dick, you _are_ my successor, both as Bruce Wayne and as Batman. I can't think of anyone else to ask this favor."

Dick blinked, still staring at him in disbelief but seemed to have found his voice again. “The fight with Superman did something to you, huh? First making a team, and now giving me Gotham.”

“Temporarily.”

The younger man snorted. “Yeah, still a pretty big leap for someone as paranoid and possessive as you. Anyway, the answer is no.”

Now it was Bruce’s turn to be rendered speechless. Considering the situation, their relationship, and Dick’s own personality, he was almost sure that Dick would accept without second thoughts. Apparently he was wrong.

"No?" He confirmed, hoping his surprise didn’t show too much. The grin Dick sported seemed to indicate that his vocal chords betrayed him though.

"Well, what I meant is that I accept the house-sitting job, but I refuse to do it in your cape. In fact, I'm thinking of ditching a cape at all, literally speaking. It throws my balance off."

Bruce stared at Dick. Long. Hard. In disbelief. Did his protégé just diss his cape?

"Dick—"

"No, Bruce, hear me out. You asked for my help, and we're doing it on my terms. The only time I'll ever don your cowl and symbol is either when you died saving the world or got sent to the past by some apocalyptic demon."

Bruce raised his eyebrows.

"Hey, nobody's too old for comic books, okay?"

He sighed, giving up. Gotham could suffer worse than a capeless hero for a while.

"Right. So who is this new Gotham protector going to be?"

Dick grinned, so bright he was almost tempted to reach for sunglasses. "Working on it. I'm thinking black and blue for costume, with a bird motif. Light armor, with holsters for eskrima sticks..."

He trailed off, turned to Bruce and gave him a thoughtful look.

"You don't suppose to have any estranged illegitimate child somewhere for me to recruit as Robin, do you?"

Bruce rubbed the bridge of his nose, feeling the beginning of a headache coming. He really needed to get his adopted son off comic books. And maybe soap operas.

"No. And you can take it up to Alfred for the details of your new attire. But get your priorities right and write the damn report first before designing any costumes."

Dick’s grin just got impossibly brighter. How on earth did he even manage that? "Roger that, Boss!"

"And,"

It was already too late when he realized the word had left his mouth. Dick had already looked up at him expectantly, waiting for the follow up.

Oh, hell.

"…And Alfred is making paella tonight. It might be too much for two people, so an extra stomach is not entirely unwelcomed."

He met Dick’s eyes at the exact wrong moment; Dick's dumbfounded face was slowly melting into an obscenely wide smile. It was taking his entire willpower to keep his face neutral.

"Well, Bruce. You could've just said 'I missed you, Dick. Come home and let's have our long overdue family dinner', you know."

His eyebrows twitched at the impression. He definitely didn’t sound that grumpy, did he?

Dick laughed heartily, reaching up and petting his shoulder. “Well, I better get going then. Thanks for the invitation. Just realized how much I missed Alfred’s cookies.”

The younger man paused, blue eyes fixing at him. A small, warm smile offered right at him.

“And I missed you too, Bruce. See you at the Manor.”

Bruce responded with an affirmative grunt and a nod. It was only when Dick has made his way out of the car and the door was safely closed did Bruce finally allow himself a small smile and an even smaller whisper.

“See you too, son.”

.

.

fin

**Author's Note:**

> My headcanon of movie-verse batfam: 
> 
> Dick was the first Robin, got fired for unknown reason, moved to Bludhaven and joined the police force. He was never Nightwing because I got really sold to the idea that he was inspired by Superman, and since in the movie verse they're not likely to have met and bond as closely as in comics (and not to mention no Teen Titans), I suppose he stuck to his police job with occasional espionage mission to help Batman coughAgent37cough
> 
> Jason was the second Robin, one who was brutally murdered by the Joker and had his costume kept by Batman as a morbid reminder. 
> 
> Tim... I'm sold to the theory that Batfleck is the Batman who have never met Tim, so sadly there's no Timmy (yet). Same for Damian, especially since we haven't even seen signs of the Al Ghuls yet.
> 
> Babs was Batgirl-turned-Oracle. Crossing my fingers that in the movie-verse she STAYS Oracle (that badass, badass goddess), but at this point I'd honestly accept anything batfam.
> 
> Also, Dick is a walking comic book reference and I regret nothing.
> 
> Thanks for reading and hope you enjoy it!


End file.
